Battleship.



FIFE-#67 H. M. SILVEIRA.

BATTLESHIP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24, 1912.

Patented Dec.2,19 18.

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H. M. SILVEIRA.

BATTLESHIP.

APPLICATION mum DEG. 24, 1912.

1,080,492. Patented Dec. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

flue (Mug HENRY M. SILVEIRA, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

BATTLESHIP.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec.2,1913.

Original application filed May 10, 1912, Serial No. 696,455. Divided and this application filed December 24,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. SILVEIRA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Battleships, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to battleships of the type especially adapted for lighting bow or stern on, as disclosed in my prior application #696395, filed May 10, 1912, of which this application is a division; and the object of the present invention is to provide means whereby torpedoes may be discharged from the bow or stern on a straight line toward the enemy, and also to provide a pneumatic launching mechanism and charging means therefor which may be controlled and operated with ease and facility.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a battleship embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation showing the torpedo launching mechanism. Fig. at is a fragmentary sectional top plan View thereof, showing, respectively in full and dotted lines, the torpedo tube in position for releasing or firing the torpedo and for supplying the charge of compressed air.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the body or hull of the ship, which is suitably partitioned interiorly to provide any desired number and arrangement of engine rooms, bunkers, food supply storage compartments, magazines, and quarters for the oliices and crew, etc. This body or hull is constructed of metal in any suitable manner and may be of any desired length and breadth. It is, however, preferably provided above the water line with straight parallel sides and terminating in pointed or wedge-shaped bow and stern portions 9. and 3. The sides of the body or hull are protected by an armor plate 3 extending from below the water line up to the fighting deck.

The ship is designed in battle to fight as far as possible head or bow on, and the bow and stern portions are accordingly provided with heavy armor plate l of sulficient thickness and strength to withstand Serial No. 738,468.

the impact of heavy projectiles. Rising from the bow and stern portions are heavily armored shields 5 which are designed to intercept and ward off all projectiles traveling in a plane parallel with the keel line of the ship and within a certainelevation above the fighting deck. By this arrangement of armored surfaces, and the contemplated method of maneuvering the ship when in action against the enemy, but a minimum amount of broad side surface will be presented to the guns of the enemy, thus greatly diminishing liability of the ship being struck and seriously damaged.

In the illustrated construction the ship is provided with decks 6, 7, 8 and 9 arranged at suitable elevations, the first or lower deck 6 being disposed practically in the plane of the water line and the top or fighting deck 9 at a desired elevation depending upon the size and equipment of the ship. The bow portion is provided in its sides with recesses or clearance spaces 10, in the rear walls of which are provided openings 11 for the exposure of the torpedo tubes, hereinafter described, whereby torpedoes may be directly launched from the ship straight toward the enemy when the ship is positioned bow on in action. If desired, similar clearance spaces and torpedo discharging mechanism of the type hereinafter disclosed may be also arranged at the stern of the ship.

Arranged above the lighting deck is a battery of main guns 12, of a size and caliber varying according to the size of the ship, which guns when at rest or being loaded lie longitudinally along the center of said deck or parallel with the keel line, so as to be protected from the shells of the enemy by the bow and stern shields 5.

Disposed within the bow for cooperation with the respective port holes 11 are torpedo launching devices 69 comprising tubes adapted to be charged with compressed air from pumps or other charging devices 70. 100

Each launching tube 69 is pivotally mounted at 1ts forward end at a point 111 line w1th the ad acent port 11 upon a carrlage 7 1, such pivotal connection comprising a universally jointed ball or head 72, adapted 105 to permit said tube to be adjusted vertically and laterally. The tube is adapted to be swung laterally within a radius of 90 with the carriage from a charging position substantially at right angles to the bow, and 19 from such position to a firing position parallel with the plane of the vessel, as indicated in full and broken lines in Fig. 4. The rear or free end of the tube is provided with a suitable closure 73 adapted to be connected with the air pump or discharge device by a suitable coupling union 7 l,suitable means being provided for holding the torpedo against discharge and releasing it for discharge at the proper time. The tube is connected intermediate of its length with cross heads 7 5 movable on arcuate guides 76 on the carriage, whereby the tube may be adjusted vertically to discharge the torpedo at the desired angle. Pivotally coupled to these cross heads are screw shafts 77 engaged by gear nuts 78 operated by gears 79 on shafts 8O journaled on the carriage which shafts are adapted to be thrown into and out of connection with the shaft of a motor 81 by suitable clutch devices 82 whereby the screw shafts may be respectively thrown into operation to raise or lower the torpedo tube and thrown out of operation to permit said tube to remain in adjusted position.

The carriage 71 is pivoted at its forward end, as indicated, to travel upon segmental track rails 88 by which the tube may be adjusted from a launching to a charging position and vice versa, suitable anti-friction bearings 84 being provided between the carriage and rails to secure ease of adjustment. One of the rails is provided with rack teeth 85 for connection with a gear 86 on the carriage whereby the latter may be adjusted in its arc of movement. This gear 86 may be operated by manual or motive power as desired. It will thus be seen that the torpedoes may be launched through the ports 11 directly at the enemy in a plane parallel with the longitudinal plane of the vessel, thus increasing the eiiiciency of this part. As hereinbefore stated, the torpedo mechanism described may be duplicated at the stern of the vessel for use when the vessel fights stern on.

In operation, the torpedo is inserted in the tube 69 and the said tube moved to charging position. The tube is then charged with air behind the torpedo to the desired launching pressure, after which the pressure of air 1s cut off, the tube moved to discharge position, and adjusted to launch the torpedo at the desired firing angle. The torpedo retaining mechanism is then operated to release and discharge the torpedo. As hereinbefore described, any suitable type of mechanism may be employed and is not herein shown, as it seems no part of my present invention.

I claim 1. A battleship having its bow provided with forwardly converging sides, each having an opening therein, means disposed between the converging sides for charging torpedo tubes with a torpedo expelling fluid, and torpedo launching tubes movable into position to receive a charge of fluid and thence into a position for the discharge of torpedoes through the openings.

2. A battleship having its bow provided with forwardly converging sides, each provided with a clearance recess and an opening communicating therewith, means disposed between said sides for supplying a motive fluid, torpedo launching devices pivotally mounted to swing to a position at right angles to the bow to receive a charge of fluid and to a position parallel with the openings to launch torpedoes therethrough, and means for vertically adjusting said torpedo launching devices.

3. A battle ship having a torpedo discharge port, a charging device, a trackway, a frame movable laterally with relation to the port and charging device, a universally mounted torpedo discharge tube vertically adjustable on said frame, spaced screw shafts pivotally connected with the tube, gear nuts engaging the respective shafts, gears engaging said gear nuts, a motor shaft, clutch devices for throwing said gears into and out of engagement with the motor shaft, and means movable to selectively adjust said clutch devices.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY M. SILVEIRA.

Witnesses:

VILLIAM F. BUTLER, JOHN Bonens.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

